SOIL PROPERTIES AFFECTING ERODIBILITY

What is soil erodibility ?

An indicator of a soil's susceptibility to raindrop impact, runoff, and other erosive processes.

FACTOR AFFECT SOIL ERODIBILITY

1. Soil texture

2. Climate

3. Soil structure

4. Soil water contain

5. Surface cover

Soil texture

Sandy soil less cohesive and easy to detached.

Clay soil resistant to erosion BUT once detached, the particle ready to remove by water run-off.

Climate

On rainfall, the raindrop will attach on the surface of the soil.

Thus it may break off the soil particle and splash it to other place.

Soil structure

Soil with poor soil structure are more detachable, unstable and susceptible to compaction.

It also have low water infiltration and high runoff rates.

Tillage and cropping practices also lower soil organic matter levels, cause poor soil structure, and result of compacted.

Good Condition with good distribution of friable finer aggregates and no significant clodding.Moderate Condition soil contains significant proportions of both coarse firm clods andfriable fine aggregates.Poor Condition soil is dominated by extremely coarse very firm clods with very few finer aggregates.

Soil water contain

Ability of the soil to absorb water

The higher the water content in the soil the capability of the soil to absorb water will reduced.

Eg: clay

Surface cover

The surface cover can protect the soil . It decrease the velocity of the raindrop to attach at the soil.

The plant root also can hold the soil structure.

Example: LCC, Bermuda Grass.

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